"One of our great cities"

Derby was described as 'one of our great cities with a strong future' at last night's government daily Covid press briefing, in response to a question from Bondholder Derby Telegraph journalist, Zena Hawley, about the impact on the city's economy.

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, said that Derby-based Bondholder Rolls-Royce was a business 'with a rich history and great future', though he shared concerns on potential job losses following the collapse in air travel.

Committing to 'work closely with local leaders' on the city's rebuilding and recovery, Mr Jenrick promised that he would ensure that 'the voice of the business community in Derby is heard in Whitehall'.

The Minister’s comments are being taken as a vote of confidence in the Derby Economic Recovery Task Force, a public-private collaboration being led by Bondholder Derby City Council which met this morning.